Middle School Ministry

MIDDLE SCHOOL
MINISTRY

Middle School can be an exciting and yet challenging time in a young person’s life. They are growing emotionally, physically, intellectually, and spiritually. Our Middle School Ministry Program (EDGE) offers a dynamic and engaging experience for children in grades 6-8 to discover their relationship with God. Middle schoolers are encouraged to explore their faith, serve their community, and develop meaningful friendships.

So I'm somewhere in Grades 6 - 8. What can I do?

A lot! For starters, we want to make sure you can connect and get to know as many others your age as possible...so you're invited to come to EDGE! EDGE is a Catholic middle school youth group styled experience created by Life Teen that provides a safe and fun place for youth to find a solid Catholic community, get answers to their questions about faith, and, most importantly, experience Jesus in a profound and personal way. EDGE Nights happen monthly during the school year to bring middle schoolers together to learn all about our faith through games, activities, discussions, service, and prayer.

What is EDGE exactly?

EDGE is a Catholic middle school youth ministry program. It provides a safe fun place for youth to find solid Catholic community, to get answers to their questions about faith, and, most importantly, to experience Jesus in a profound and personal way. Edge resources speak to the physical, psychological, cognitive, relational, and spiritual maturation of middle school youth. Edge resources make it easier for youth ministers to plan out their semesters of Edge Night, retreats, and to train a team of adults, the Core Team, to assist them in the ministry. The resources present Catholic teaching in a way that young people can understand.

How are youth put into small groups?

When you participate in EDGE nights, you get to engage with other young people in mixed small group discussions. For games and activities, the entire group of 6th-8th graders come together.

Why include Mass in our program?

Mass is the "source and summit" of our Catholic faith. That means that when we go to Mass, hear the Word proclaimed, and receive the Eucharist, we are the closest to God and receive what we need to live our best life. Really, anything we try to do here is impossible without Mass. Whether you've attended Mass before, or haven't been, we invite you to join us each weekend for Mass. If it helps, our 5 PM Sunday Mass is geared toward young people.

Can parents get involved?

Yes! We believe that parents are key in Youth Ministry and want to support them in their role. Although Faith Formation in the past three decades has primarily occurred in the classroom, we believe that the more effective "classroom" is the home. When parents partner with the parish, we can be more impactful when it comes to raising our teens Catholic. In fact, two of the growing trends nationally for faith formation is both digital and family catechesis. Parents are also invited and encouraged to volunteer with our programs as small group leaders. All small group leaders receive support and coaching from our Faith Formation team, so there's no need to worry about being the most knowledgeable teacher of our faith. For more information about volunteering as an EDGE small group leader, email ff@stteresaavila.org Lastly, Parents are invited to explore PARENT LIFE, a website by Life Teen to help parents learn more about teens and receive resources to empower them as parents: https://ltparentlife.com/

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